A hard disk drive (“HDD”) includes one or more disks for storing digital data, which one or more disks are clamped to a spindle motor assembly for rotation during read-write operations. The conventional, screw-based disk clamp that is used to clamp the one or more disks to the spindle motor assembly requires a dedicated space for the clamp and the one or more screws used to fasten the disks to the spindle motor assembly. The height of the dedicated space required for the screw-based disk clamp takes an amount of length away from the bearing span of the spindle.